“White Roof Project organizes block-by-block to green the skylines of city neighborhoods. This grassroots solution should serve as a national model for environmental justice. Los Angeles would benefit from such a program for a cooler, brighter future.

A black tar roof means many things. In a city, most of the rooftops are made of black tar, which can increase the average temperature of a summer day by 15 degrees Fahrenheit. On a 90 degree day, a tar rooftop can easily reach 180 degrees Fahrenheit— and that heat affects the inside temperature of the building to be 115 degrees. On the same day, a tar roof with white paint will only reach about 100 degrees Fahrenheit, therefore lowering the temperature on the inside of the building to 80 degrees. This not only saves up to 40% of an electricity bills cost, it reduces smog, and reflects sunlight back into the atmosphere for a cooler climate.”